Study MA Social Work at Staffordshire University

Social Workers play an important role in supporting individuals and families to achieve positive change in their lives. Our pre-registration postgraduate Social Work degree will prepare you for a rewarding profession with human rights and social justice at its core.

Regulated by Social Work England, our course will equip you for a career in social work within a diverse range of social welfare settings.

On completing the course, you will be able to evidence and demonstrate the standards and capabilities required for registration with Social Work England as Social Worker. The course will enable you to develop the core skills, knowledge and values fundamental to social work practice.

This pre-registration course is available to graduates already holding a degree from any discipline, looking to gain a social work qualification and registration with a professional body in approximately two years rather than three or four, providing an accelerated route into the profession. You will also be eligible to apply for the NHS Social Work bursary.

Teaching and learning are focused on a critical approach that considers both the structural and individual factors that impact on the lived experiences of those who require social work intervention. You will also complete a total of 200 days of practice-based learning across a range of engaging placements to demonstrate your capability as a social work practitioner.

The use of simulation to enhance teaching and learning is embedded throughout the course, bringing 'real life' practice into the classroom. We can realistically recreate various immersive situations, allowing you to practice your skills safely in a controlled environment, before going on to deal with real people. Replicating the challenges that social work professionals face means that you’ll be highly employable when you graduate with all the skills you need to succeed.

Our award-winning team of experienced staff are always on hand to support you and enhance your core social work skills and we work closely with stakeholders such as service user groups. We also have strong links with regional partner agencies who provide, not only high-quality practice-based learning opportunities, but also support with creative and innovative approaches to teaching on the course.

You will also have the opportunity for collaborative, interprofessional working as part of a wider, growing Health and Social Care postgraduate community at Staffordshire University.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: MA Social Work

Work placements

A mandatory element of the course is the requirement to complete 200 days in practice based learning, this is in line with the regulatory requirements set by Social Work England. Throughout the course you will undertake 20 university based 'skills days', a significant number of these will take place in your first year, with a small number in the second. You will undertake two practice based learning opportunities, a 80 day placement in your first year, and 100 days in your final year. In each of these placements you will be expected to attend on a full-time basis, in line with the placement organisations usual working practices. These placements will take place in local, social care and social work providers across the west midlands region. As all placement providers are quality assured by the university, you will not be required to source your own placement, this will be managed by the university.

Our placements are located in the West Midlands region, particularly in the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent area. It is unlikely that we will be able to provide placements outside of the area.

Ideally, you should be a car driver or aim to have passed your test and have daily access to a vehicle by the start of your first placement, but no later than the start of your final placement. Whilst we do support students who cannot drive, an inability to drive and lack of daily access to a vehicle will limit the placement opportunities you can be considered for as many organisations will not accept students who cannot drive.

MA Social Work

Work placements

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